A New Year Pause
Chicago Reflections & Setting Our Intentions for 2026
As we close the chapter on 2025 and begin dreaming about 2026, Dave and I felt a gentle nudge to pause. Not a rushed, check-the-box kind of pause—but an intentional one. So we planned a marriage and corporate retreat (because let’s be honest, those two things are beautifully intertwined) and headed to Chicago.
This trip isn’t about resolutions scribbled hastily on January 1. It’s about reflection. Looking back with gratitude—for how far we’ve come, what we’ve overcome, and the blessings we sometimes forget to name out loud. And looking forward with hope. Asking the bigger questions:
What do we want 2026 to feel like?
What are we bringing with us into the new year?
What are we leaving behind?
What deserves more focus, care, and intention?
And once those answers start to take shape—how do we actually get there?
Why Chicago, Again?
After a full travel day and settling into The Talbott Hotel—a cozy, chic boutique hotel tucked into the Gold Coast—we did what we love most: wandered. We explored the neighborhood we’ll call home for the week, drifting between Gold Coast and River North, popping into familiar favorites and letting the city unfold at its own pace.
An afternoon stop at RL Restaurant for a cocktail and a bite felt perfectly on brand for easing into the trip, followed by dinner at RPM Italian, one of our tried-and-true Chicago favorites. This trip is intentionally a mix—comforting classics paired with new discoveries. Familiar, but not stale.
People often ask me why we return to cities like Chicago and New York when there are so many places we haven’t been. My answer is always the same: I love walkable cities. I love knowing my way around just enough to relax, while still leaving room to explore what’s changed—or revisit what was already wonderful the first time.
Funny enough, the same people asking this are often loyal to the same beach trip or cruise year after year. Different strokes, right? (We’ll save the conversation about letting people enjoy what they enjoy—from travel to fashion to life choices—for another day.)
Snowy Mornings & Cozy Corners
This morning, Chicago delivered its full winter charm—snowy sidewalks and a brisk 13-degree welcome. So we leaned into cozy, fireside vibes at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Chicago before heading to the Art Institute of Chicago.
Dave went classic with a dark chocolate latte; I tried the tiramisu latte. Both were delicious… and yet I still found myself wishing I’d ordered his. (Order remorse is truly my love language.)
Jazz, Tiki, and Trying Something New
Tonight’s plans check the “try something new” box:
Andy’s Jazz Club, Gus’s Sip & Dip, and Three Dots and a Dash are all on deck. We’re also debating the Nutcracker Christmas pop-up bar… undecided, but intrigued. I’ll report back.
Looking Ahead—with Intention
The rest of this trip will be a blend of rest, research, and inspiration for Viva Bene—taking in fashion, design, hospitality, and everyday moments that spark ideas for future collections and offerings. More than that, it’s about clarity. About slowing down enough to be thoughtful. About deciding what “living well” really looks like in the year ahead—and how we want to share that with our community.
Here’s to closing 2025 with gratitude, welcoming 2026 with intention, and remembering that sometimes the best way forward… is to pause first.
Live well, friends.